Thirty and a Half Excuses
Page 45

Violet took a deep breath, relief flooding her face. “Of course that’s what you meant.”
I wanted to ask Violet what her other secret was, but I stopped myself. She’d never tell me in front of Neely Kate, and it wasn’t fair to ask.
Violet lifted her chin, her smug demeanor returning. “You do what you think is best, Rose. Over the last few months you haven’t listened to a word I’ve said anyway. I might as well be talking to a brick wall.” She turned around to go inside.
“Violet,” I called after her, but she ignored me, watering the plants inside.
“Let her go sulk,” Neely Kate said with a scowl. “I don’t know what her problem is lately.”
“She means well.” Funny how defending Violet had become a habit, even when I doubted my own words.
Neely Kate helped me water the flats. “I thought you said you were going to be at the church this morning.”
“I planned to…” My voice trailed off as I tried to figure out what to tell her.
“What happened?”
“What didn’t happen?” I looked through the window to see if Violet was within hearing distance, but she was occupied with the kids.
Neely Kate saw what I was doing. “She’s busy. Spill it.”
I lowered my head closer to hers. “I told Mason about the quit claim deed, and he ordered an autopsy on Miss Dorothy, but there’s so much more.”
Excitement lit up Neely Kate’s eyes. “Like what?”
“I didn’t tell you about Thomas, the teen who likes to rev up his car and drive like a maniac down our street.”
“He’s involved?”
“After Miss Mildred confronted Christy on the front porch, Thomas told me it was too bad that Miss Mildred hadn’t been killed too. Killed as in murdered.”
“Why would he say that?” Neely Kate whispered.
“I don’t know, but then I had a vision, and he was with some mean-looking guy. Thomas told the guy he had a problem, and the mean guy told him he was going to give him a problem.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“But wait, there’s more.” A car pulled into the parking lot, and a young couple climbed out, three kids in tow. We didn’t officially open for ten more minutes, but I wasn’t about to turn a customer away. They started browsing, and I kept my eye on them as I talked. “I was walking around the church grounds with Bruce Wayne yesterday afternoon, and Thomas showed up. I guess he works for Jonah Pruitt.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. And not only that, but he told me that Daniel Crocker has some supporters who are upset with me for getting him incarcerated, and they’re out to get me.”
Neely Kate’s face puckered. “Do you think that’s true?”
“I don’t know. I’d have heard about it sooner, don’t you think?”
“You should tell Mason.”
“I’d rather tell Joe, but who knows when I’ll see him again, and he’s upset with me for getting a truck with Mason.”
“Oh.” She grabbed a hose to water the flowers. “I can see how that could happen.”
“Everything’s such a mess, Neely Kate. Joe told me he was going to tell me his deep dark secret the next time we see each other.”
“Well, that’s good, right? Just like you told Violet, secrets only lead to trouble.”
I leaned my hip against the table. “But I’m scared to hear it. Joe’s worried I’ll leave him over it.”
“We both know Joe. What on earth could he have done that’s so bad?”
I chewed on my lower lip. “I don’t know; that’s what scares me. Both he and Mason insinuate it’s really bad. And to make it worse, I think it has to do with Mason’s deep dark secret too.”
“Even more reason to get it all out it the open.” She started spraying the flowers. “But none of that explains why you’re here and not at the church. Unless you’re scared Thomas will be there?”
I took a deep breath. “Did you know there are rumors going around town that I have lots of money?”
Neely Kate squirmed. “Well…”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What good would it have done?”
“I had a right to know.”
She looked me square in the eye. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Whenever I go over to the church, Jonah Pruitt pops out of the woodwork and starts hanging around me, asking questions and getting personal.”
She snickered. “You’ve gone from no men in your life to half a dozen.”
“Neely Kate, I’m pretty certain Jonah Pruitt heard the rumors.”
Her brow wrinkled in confusion before her eyes widened. “Oh. You need to tell Mason.”
“He’s the one who put that part together. After I told him about Miss Dorothy’s will and he ordered the autopsy.”
“That’s a good thing! But if Jonah Pruitt had something to do with the deaths of those women, you’d better be careful.”
“Jonah Pruitt might be opportunistic, but a murderer?” I shook my head. “People jumped to conclusions about me and Bruce Wayne without knowing all the facts. I’m not going to do that with Jonah.”
“You never know, he could just be interested in you.”
“I don’t think so. I know I’m inexperienced—as Violet loves to point out—but I always feel like a mouse in a trap when he starts hanging around. He’s after something. Although his secretary sure hates me. She thinks I’m Jezebel reincarnated.”